Theme: Why Tongues (5) 30/05/24
Memory Verse: Mark 16.17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
Today’s Topic: The Gift of tongues has not seized
Today’s Reading: Act 2:39
39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call
1Co 12:10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:
Words of the Ministry:
Today I would comment on the common claim of cessation of the gift of tongues. Those that hold this view claim that Paul in 1 Cor 13.8-10, taught that tongues would pass away and especially now that the perfect has come, tongues and other gifts has passed away. They claim the perfect is the complete canon of Scripture and hence the 12 apostles are all dead there is no addition to the canon hence no message from God and therefore no need for tongue. They claim the bible is the perfect law of liberty (Jam 1.25) hence nothing to add. What we would firstly notice in their argument however is that they hold a narrow view of tongues as they limit it to the public use which is equivalent to prophesy when interpreted.
We also would notice that the passage quoted (1 Cor 13) talks about when the perfect comes was in reference to love being perfect love that comes at the Lord’s return when we see him face to face as Paul in verse 11-12 said he was a child and now a man yet still saw as through a dark glass. So, if being perfect was the canon he wouldn’t have said he was a man already and neither would he in hope say that he would know him as he is known. The idiom “face to face” in 1 Corinthians 13:12 doesn’t suggest something abstract like the New Testament canon or spiritual maturity. Instead, it represents the language of encounter with God, and so naturally refers to the second coming, since we will see Jesus “face to face” when “the perfect comes” (1 Cor. 13:10).
To further buttress my case for the continuity of spiritual gifts and tongues in particular, I would refer to today’s reading, in Acts 2, Peter said the gift is for that generation, their children and as many as the Lord shall call. Here the gift being talked about is not a Spiritual gift but the Holy Spirit being poured out upon believers for power with an outward fruit of any of the gifts especially the gift of tongues and prophesy as promised in Joel 2.28. Hence the Holy Spirit is still being poured out, we can therefore expect a continuity of the gifts. Again in 1 Cor 12, we see that the Holy Spirit is in the business of giving such gifts to men as he wills just as Jesus promised the father would give it as many as ask of him Luke 11.13. I like to therefore admonish the saints to desire spiritual gifts and in this case the gift of tongues especially because of the several benefits we have seen, may the Lord grant us light.
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